The Bottom Line
Pros
- Good breadth of ceramic lettering styles and artists
- Many useful tips
- Logical progression, especially in regards to pottery form and lettering
Cons
- Does not discuss lettering on thrown (vertical curved) forms in depth
- Would like further discussion of lettering with lusters and gold leaf
- Would like more historical (especially Islamic) background
Description
- Trade sized paperback, 96 pages, well illustrated with full-color photographs.
- Covers a brief history of lettering on ceramics, tools, materials, methods, and the form of pots as pertains to lettering.
- Gives a range of stylistic alphabets which can be used as presented or modified by the artist.
- Gives examples of 24 artists from across the world who use lettering on their ceramic work.
Guide Review - Review of 'Lettering on Ceramics' by Mary White
This slim book is absorbing reading if you are interested in either calligraphy or in ceramic artistic expression. As a source book, it contains straight-forward instruction as well as a real depth in the exploration of how lettering on ceramics can be used.
It is obvious that the author, Mary White, has a wealth of experience and expertise in this area. Even so, White's writing is accessible and she illustrates her points well with appropriate photographs.
My largest disappointment with this book was a lack of information on the rich history of Islamic calligraphy on ceramics. My other disappointment was that White mentioned some areas, such as cold gold leaf, without further explanation. I wish she had expanded that and given more concrete information on the use of lusters in ceramic calligraphy.
